Nicolas Cage is one of Hollywood’s most influential and successful actors today. His work in both dramatic and comedic roles has made him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. In this blog post, we look at Nicolas Cage’s highest-grossing movies to see which ones are his biggest successes.
1. National Treasure (2004)
National Treasure is an action-packed adventure movie that follows treasure hunter and conspiracy theorist Nicolas Cage as he tries to find the National Treasure of the United States.
The film starts with Cage’s character, Sean Bean, waking up in a hospital without remembering what happened to him. He soon discovers that someone has stolen the National Treasure of the US, and he must team up with FBI agent Audrey Raines to track down the thief and recover it before destruction. Along the way, they discover secrets about presidential history and government conspiracies that are only meant to be revealed by President James Buchanan himself.
National Treasure was a massive success when it was released in 2004, grossing over $240 million at the box office. It received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised its exciting plot and impressive action scenes. https://youtu.be/vqUPxNT8io4
2. Gone In Sixty Seconds (1974)
Gone in Sixty Seconds is a 1974 American action film directed by Richard Donner and written by Rod Stuart and Donner. The film’s story follows a professional thief (Nicolas Cage) who must stop the villainous Roland West (John Travolta) from robbing an armored truck carrying $200 million worth of gold.
The film was commercially successful, grossing over $140 million at the box office. It received positive reviews, particularly for its fast-paced action and characterization. Travolta’s performance was widely praised and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.
Less than six months after its release, the United States Library of Congress deemed Gone in Sixty Seconds was deemed culturally important and selected it for preservation in their National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” https://youtu.be/ap5RqRzjS6g
3. Face/Off (1997)
Face/Off is a 1997 action thriller film starring Nicolas Cage and John Travolta. The plot follows Special Agent Johnny Utah (Cage), assigned to pose as the vice president of a terrorist organization to take down its leader, played by Travolta. From there, the two stars fight it out using their combat skills and firearms while trying not to get caught.
The movie was a blockbuster hit when it was released, grossing $276 million worldwide on a budget of just $12 million. It has since been cited as an influential work in the action genre and has been named one of the best performances by both Cage and Travolta. https://youtu.be/S-nDX0BeFoQ
4. Con Air (1997)
In 1997, Nicolas Cage starred in and directed Con Air, a crime thriller that became one of his highest-grossing movies. The film tells the story of a group of prisoners forced to fly on a plane filled with criminals en route to prison. Things quickly spiral out of control, and the prisoners begin to fight for their survival.
Though it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Con Air is still a highly entertaining movie that provides an excellent insight into Nicolas Cage’s talent as an actor and director. The plot is well-written and suspenseful, and the cast is top-notch – including John Travolta, James Woods, and Ving Rhames. It’s also worth noting that the soundtrack is legendary, featuring tracks by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, DJ Quik, Nas, and Wu-Tang Clan. https://youtu.be/vYFU0H1I1i0
If you’re looking for a thrilling crime drama that will keep you entertained from start to finish, then Con Air should be at the top of your list!
5. The Rock (1996)
In this movie, Nicolas Cage plays a convict who is released from prison and has to find a new place to live. He eventually ends up in a small town in the middle of nowhere, where he meets a woman (played by Holly Hunter) who is running from her past. The two of them get along well, but things start to go wrong when Cage’s character starts acting strangely and attracting attention from people who want him dead.
The Rock is a great action movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through. It’s also one of Nicolas Cage’s most successful movies, with gross earnings of over $305 million worldwide. If you’re looking for an adrenaline-pumping movie experience that will satisfy you, then The Rock is worth considering! https://youtu.be/a3qcNyjj9ZQ
6. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 American crime drama film directed by Mike Figgis and written by Figgis, based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Nicholas Cage. The film tells the story of hotel desk clerk Joe (Cage), who travels to Las Vegas after being fired from his job due to a drunken driving conviction to win back his ex-wife and child. https://youtu.be/6jXi-Z3M9Us
The film was commercially successful and received largely positive reviews from critics. It won multiple awards, including an Academy Award for Best Screenplay.
7. Wild At Heart (1990)
Wild At Heart is a 1990 American crime film directed by David Lynch and written by Lynch, Barry Gifford, and Dennis Hopper. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Harry Dean Stanton, and Dianne Wiest.
The story follows two gamblers—Cage’s character Sutter Kinney and Walter Hill’s character Vernon Deadwood—who must flee San Francisco after a violent altercation with the movie’s antagonist, Cecil McRae. They travel to Oakland, where they team up with a woman who has been kidnapped by McRae. During their travels, they encounter violence, love, betrayal, and ultimately salvation.
The film was both a critical and financial success; it grossed $48 million on its budget in the US alone, making it Cage’s highest-grossing movie. It also won several awards for acting (including an Academy Award for Best Actor for Cage) and direction.
8. Moonstruck (1987)
Moonstruck is a romantic comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It tells the story of Aidan (Nicolas Cage), a Brooklyn-born artist. He falls in love with his sister’s (Lea Thompson) beautiful and passionate Italian wife (Mia Farrow) while she’s still married to another man.
The film received critical acclaim upon its release and has since been cited as one of the greatest love stories ever told. At the 47th Golden Globe Awards, Moonstruck was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama but lost to The Silence of the Lambs. The movie was also nominated for 5 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
In 2008, the Library of Congress selected Moonstruck for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”
9. Raising Arizona (1987)
In Raising Arizona, Nicolas Cage plays John t. Chance is a convict who is released from prison and must find a new place to live. He’s also tasked with finding his brother (Joel Schumacher), who has been sentenced to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. With the help of his girlfriend (Jodie Foster) and best friend (Willem Dafoe), John begins to understand the criminal underworld and plans to free his brother.
Raising Arizona is an excellent crime drama with plenty of action and suspense. It’s also well-written and acted, making it one of Cage’s finest performances. The movie was critically acclaimed upon release and remains popular today – ranking #55 on IMDb’s list of the 300 greatest movies of all time.
10. Valley Girl (1983)
In Valley Girl, Nicolas Cage plays Jeff Beaumont, a high school student trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. He’s also trying to get over the death of his sister and reconcile with his father (played by John Heard).
One day, while at the library, Jeff is approached by a girl named Karen (played by Cindy Williams), who asks him if he can help her pick out some books. Jeff agrees, and they start spending a lot of time together. Karen turns out to be quite the eccentric character, and it’s not long before Jeff starts seeing her as an alter ego – or “Valley Girl,” as she calls herself.
Jeff becomes obsessed with Karen and tries to re-create everything about her in his own life. He starts dressing like her, wearing outrageous clothing that clashes horribly with his normal style. He even starts cutting class to spend more time with her.
Eventually, things go too far for Jeff, and he gets kicked out of school for being too busy hanging out with Karen instead of doing any work. This represents a major turning point in Jeff’s life; from then on, he begins to focus on his studies and takes things more seriously.
Nicolas Cage’s movies have grossed more than $4 billion at the box office. He has also received several awards for his outstanding performances in these blockbuster movies like Ghost Rider, Face/Off, and Bad Lieutenant. They all show off their acting skills while earning many accolades in various award ceremonies.
Being one of the most talented and successful actors today, Nicolas Cage has certainly been able to create history with his incredible work ethic and talent!
